Sports undergarment including a resilient fabric contributing levels of compression adapted to the muscle tissues

ABSTRACT

Undergarment provided for sports practice, which includes a resilient fabric which is fit on the body while exerting compression in order to limit the oscillations of the muscle tissues during the practice of the sport, characterized in that it has areas ( 102, 104, 106, 112, 114, 116, 132, 134, 142   a,    142   b,    144 ) having different levels of resilience, each of these areas contributing levels of compression adapted to the muscle tissues that they cover, including higher compression when these muscle tissues present greater oscillations from the outset.

The present invention relates to an undergarment for the practice of a sport, which is provided for improving comfort and performances.

In the practice of a sports activity, fast and repeated movements lead to oscillation of the muscle tissues of the body as a whole including the muscle, fat matter and skin. These oscillations are variable depending on the muscles as a function of the sport practiced and the person, in particular his/her sex, age, height and weight.

The oscillations of the muscle tissues demand of the muscles, in addition to the effort necessary for the sports activity, additional energy for supporting this matter, which fatigues these muscles more rapidly and limits the energy dedicated to the sports performance.

Furthermore, it is possible to get micro-lesions on the scale of the muscle, which fatigue them even more.

In order to exert a tight holding of the limbs for medical reasons, the production of support undergarments is known, in particular support stockings for the legs, comprising a resilient fabric which exerts a constant and uniform tight hold on the limbs as a whole.

This tight holding of the limbs makes it possible to compress the surface vein network and in particular to limit the formation of edemas which can lead to thromboses. However, these undergarments are not suited to improving sports performances.

Furthermore, a known type of sports undergarment for the lower body, in the form of pants, presented in particular in the document US-A1-2014059741, has vertical resilient bands arranged along the legs, which exert additional support in this direction making it possible to reduce muscle fatigue of the legs.

However, this type of pants with resilient bands along the legs does not enable one to adapt, in particular for each type of muscle, the level of tight hold that is suitable for it in order to optimize the performance of each of these muscles to be best possible extent.

The present invention in particular aims to prevent these disadvantages of the prior art.

For this purpose, it proposes an undergarment provided for sports practice, which includes a resilient fabric which is fit on the body while exerting compression in order to limit the oscillations of the muscle tissues during the practice of the sport, characterized in that it has areas having different levels of resilience, each of these areas contributing levels of compression adapted to the muscle tissues that they cover, including higher compression when these muscle tissues present greater oscillations from the outset.

An advantage of this undergarment is that it is thus possible to precisely define different areas on the human body, each corresponding to ranges of oscillation of the muscle tissues during the practice of the sport, and then to adapt, for each of these areas, the level of elongation and nervousness of the resilient fabric in order to reduce the oscillations appropriately.

It is thus possible to restrain to a greater extent the muscle masses presenting the most extensive oscillations, with areas that have shapes that are freely adapted to these muscle masses, and to retrain the other muscle masses to a lesser extent, thereby ensuring the comfort of the undergarment.

These garments improve physical recovery, that is to say that good physical form is regained more rapidly, and therefore indirectly, the performance is improved to the extent that the sports practice can be resumed more quickly and one can therefore practice more, thereby inducing a greater yield and therefore better physical performances.

The undergarment according to the invention can moreover have one or more of the following features which can be combined together.

Advantageously, the areas of higher compression have a silicone deposit on the resilient fabric. Silicone is a material having great resilience and great nervousness, which moreover is easily deposited and attached on resilient fabrics. The compression can be contributed by other methods, for example, by the application of resins other than silicone, adhesion or addition of material, or any other application, in particular of the material reinforcement type which reinforces the resilience in the higher compression areas.

In this case, advantageously, the deposit, for example, of silicone on the areas of higher compression forms a pattern comprising mesh preferably of hexagonal shape or of any other known geometric shape, for example, triangular. These meshes form a decoration that at the same time allows one to set the level of resilience by adjusting their thickness.

Advantageously, the silicone is deposited according to a pattern produced by a silk screen printing process. This process makes it easy to form varied patterns.

Advantageously, the resilient fabric is a jersey stitch knit based on polyamide and elastane. This type of fabric has a good level of resilience and is pleasant to wear.

In this case, the weaving width of the resilient fabric is advantageously arranged according to the height of the undergarments but can also be arranged in the direction of the width provided that the elongation and the modulus are similar. One thus obtains greater compression in the direction of the height which represents the direction of the greatest oscillations of the muscle tissues.

In particular, the areas of compression including the highest level have, in the direction of the height of the undergarment, an elongation of approximately 49%, particularly between 40% and 60%, for a load of 15 N, and in the direction of the width, an elongation of approximately 66%, particularly between 55% and 75%, for a load of 15N, these measurements being made according to the standard BS 4952. These values contribute a good level of compression of the muscle tissues that have the highest oscillations.

According to an embodiment, the undergarment is in the form of pants having a lower area of low compression on the legs, which goes up to the knees, and having an upper area of high compression above that going up to the top. One thus has areas that are adapted to the movements of the corresponding muscle tissues.

In addition, between the area of low compression and the area of high compression, essentially at the level of the knees, the pants can have an area of medium compression in the form of a band that rises towards the inside between the legs.

According to another embodiment, the undergarment is in the form of a jersey having an upper area of low compression in the upper part going essentially down to the middle of the thorax, and on the arms, and having one or more lower areas of higher compression below that. In this case as well, there are areas that are adapted to the movements of the corresponding muscle tissues.

In addition, the jersey can have a lower area which, in the center of the front and of the back and at the height of the middle of the thorax, includes an essentially horizontal band which is completed on each side by a descending part contributing a medium or high level of compression.

The invention will be better understood and other characteristics and advantages will appear more clearly upon reading the description hereafter given as an example in reference to the appended drawings in which:

FIGS. 1a and 1b present the muscles of the human body respectively from the front and from the back;

FIGS. 2a and 2b present, on the human body respectively from the front and from the back, areas corresponding to three levels of oscillation of the muscle tissues during the practice of running;

FIGS. 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b present, respectively from the front and from the back, pants or “leggings” and a jersey or “tee-shirt” according to the invention having three levels of resilience;

FIG. 5 presents a silicone covering pattern applied on the resilient fabric in order to adapt its level of resilience; and

FIGS. 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b present, respectively from the front and from the back, pants or “leggings” and a jersey or “tee-shirt” according to a variant having two levels of resilience.

FIG. 1a presents the human body seen from the front, which has the following muscles on each leg, starting from the bottom, the peroneus brevis 2, the tibialis anterior 4, the vastus medialis 6, the vastus lateralis 8, the rectus femoris 10, the adductor longus 12, the sartorius 14, the tensor fasciae latae 16, and towards the inside of the leg the adductor magnus 18, the gracilis 20, the pectineus 22 and the iliopsoas 24.

The human body has the following muscles in the upper part, starting from the bottom, the abdominal external oblique muscle 26, the rectus abdominus 28, the serratus anterior 30, the pectoralis major 32 and the deltoid 34. On each arm, starting from the hand, it has the flexor carpi ulnaris 36, the palmaris longus 38, the brachioradialis 40, the brachialis 42 and the biceps brachii 44.

FIG. 1b presents the human body seen from the back, which has the following muscles on each leg, starting from the bottom, the soleus 50, the peroneus longus 52, the gastrocnemius 54, the plantaris 56, the semimembranosus 58, the semitendinosus 60, the biceps femoris 62, the gluteus maximus 64 and the gluteus medius 66.

The human body has the following muscles in the upper part, starting from the bottom, the latissimus dorsi 68, the infraspinatus 70 and the trapezius 72. On each arm, starting from the hand, it has the extensor carpi ulnaris 80, the anconeus 82, the triceps brachii 84, the teres major 86 and the teres minor 88.

FIGS. 2a and 2b present different levels of oscillation of the muscle tissues during the practice of running, which were measured by sensors on a sample of people representing different sexes, ages, heights and weights. The movements are measured in three dimensions; in the case of this sport, they are generally greater in the vertical direction.

These movements depend on the contraction of the muscles; they are greater when the muscles are relaxed.

Small oscillations of less than 15 mm are obtained on the back of the legs below the knees 80 and in the center of the back 82. Medium oscillations between 15 and 25 mm are obtained in the lower thorax and the center of the abdomen 84, on the lower back 86 and on the upper arms 88, and on the upper back of the legs towards the inside 98. Large oscillations greater than 25 mm are obtained, for the front, on the upper part of the legs including the pelvis 90 and on the sides of the abdomen 92, and for the back, on the side of the legs 94 and on the sides of the back 96.

FIGS. 3a and 3b present pants 100 made from a resilient fabric, which produces compression of the lower body at the same time due to the material and how this fabric is made and due to the application of silicone on certain areas of this fabric. The fabric alone contributes a low level of compression; the silicone combined with the fabric contributes, depending on its pattern, a medium level and a high level of compression.

The fabric is a jersey stitch knit based on polyamide and elastane, in particular containing 78% polyamide and 22% elastane. The grammage is 200 g per square meter. In the direction of the weaving length, it has an elongation of 77% for a load of 15 N, and a modulus of 233 cN for a force of 30%. In the direction of the weaving width, it has an elongation of 59% for a load of 15 N, and a modulus of 107 cN for a force of 30%. These measurements are made according to the standard BS 4952.

Since the oscillations of the muscle tissues are greater in the direction of the height, for the manufacturing, one will advantageously arrange the width of the fabric in the direction of the height of the pants 100, in order to benefit from a greater stiffness of this fabric in this direction. Moreover, greater resilience is obtained in the direction of the width, which allows the product to be slipped on more comfortably.

On the legs, the pants 100 have a lower area 102 featuring a fabric without silicone contributing a low level of compression, which goes approximately up to the knees, rising toward the inside, and which essentially covers the peroneus brevis 2 and the tibialis anterior 4 on the front and the soleus 50, the peroneus longus 52 and the gastrocnemius 54 on the back.

Then, above that, the pants 100 have an intermediate area 104 in the form of a band also rising toward the inside between the legs and coming almost to the crotch, featuring a fabric with silicone contributing a medium level of compression, which essentially covers the plantaris 56, the semimembranosus 58, the semitendinosus 60.

Finally, above that, the pants 100 have an upper area 106 going up to the waist, featuring a fabric with silicone contributing a high level of compression, which essentially covers the vastus medialis 6, the vastus lateralis 8, the rectus femoris 10, the adductor longus 12, the sartorius 14, the adductor magnus 18, the gracilis 20, the pectineus 22 and the iliopsoas 24 on the front. This upper area 106 essentially covers the biceps femoris 62 and the gluteus maximus 64 muscles on the back.

FIGS. 4a and 4b present a jersey 110 made from the same resilient fabric, which produces compression of the upper body in the same manner due to the material and how this fabric is made and due to the application of silicone on certain areas in order to contribute three levels of compression.

For the manufacturing, the width of the fabric is also arranged in the direction of the height of the jersey 110 in order to benefit from greater stiffness in this direction and to make this product easier to slip on.

On the upper body going down to the middle of the thorax and on the sleeves, the jersey 110 has an upper area 112 featuring a fabric without silicone contributing a low level of compression, which essentially covers the pectoralis major 32, the deltoid 34, the infraspinatus 70, the trapezius 72, the teres major 86, the teres minor 88, and all the muscles of the arm.

Then, below that, the jersey 110 has an intermediate area 114 which, in the center of the front and of the back and at the height of the middle of the thorax, has a thin, essentially horizontal band which is completed on each side by a descending part coming below this thorax, featuring a fabric with silicone contributing the medium level of compression. The intermediate area 114 essentially covers the rectus abdominus 28 and the serratus anterior 30.

Finally, below that on each side, the jersey 110 has a lower area 116 going down to the waist, featuring a fabric with silicone contributing the high level of compression, which essentially covers the abdominal external oblique muscle 26 on the front and the latissimus dorsi 68 on the back.

FIG. 5 presents the pattern produced with silicone for the areas of medium and high compression, comprising mesh according to a hexagonal shape 120 having a width L on the order of 10 mm and a height H on the order of 15 mm.

Advantageously, the areas of medium and high compression are differentiated by adapting the thickness E of this pattern, which is 2 mm for medium compression and 3 mm for high compression, thereby enabling one to keep an appearance and manufacturing means that remain similar.

One preferably uses a two-component silicone having a Shore A hardness between 10 and 40, which is advantageously a medical type material in order to avoid reactions with the skin.

The silicone can in particular be deposited by silk screen printing on the textile in order to obtain the desired pattern, this process allowing impregnation of the silicone in the textile, which increases its nervousness, that is to say the force of return to its initial position.

It should be noted that, since the elongation before rupture of the silicone for reinforcing the resilient fabric is greater than that of this fabric, there is then no risk of damaging this silicone in the case of great stretching.

For the area of medium compression, one obtains a resilient fabric having, in the direction of the height of the product, an elongation of 54 % for a load of 15 N and a modulus of 560 cN for a force of 30%. In the width direction, it has an elongation of 72% for a load of 15 N and a modulus of 420 cN for a force of 30%. These measurements are made according to the standard BS 4952.

It is observed that, for this area of medium compression, one has a reduced elongation and a greater stiffness in the two directions as well as a better nervousness of the fabric.

For the area of high compression, one also obtains a resilient fabric having, in the direction of the height of the product, an elongation of 49% for a load of 15 N and a modulus of 640 cN for a force of 30%. In the width direction, it has an elongation of 66% for a load of 15 N and a modulus of 420 cN for a force of 30%. These measurements are made according to the standard BS 4952.

For this area of high compression, one has even greater stiffness.

FIGS. 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b present pants 100 and a jersey 110 that have only two areas of compression, an area of low compression with the resilient fabric alone, and an area of high compression with the fabric receiving silicone in order to produce the highest compression presented above.

For manufacturing, the width of the fabric is also arranged in the direction of the height of the pants 100 and of the jersey 110 in order to benefit from greater stiffness in this direction and to make these products easier to slip on.

FIGS. 6a and 6b present pants 130 having, on each leg, a lower area 132 featuring a fabric without silicone contributing a low level of compression, which goes approximately up to and including the knees, rising slightly towards the outside, and which essentially covers the peroneus brevis 2 and the tibialis anterior 4 on the front, and the soleus 50, the peroneus longus 52 and the gastrocnemius 54 on the back.

Above that, the pants 130 have an upper area 134 which goes up to the waist, featuring a fabric with silicone contributing a high level of compression, which essentially covers the vastus medialis 6, the vastus lateralis 8, the rectus femoris 10, the adductor longus 12, the sartorius 14, the adductor magnus 18, the gracilis 20, the pectineus 22 and the iliopsoas 24 on the front, and which covers the plantaris 56, the semimembranosus 58, the semitendinosus 60, the biceps femoris 62 and the gluteus maximus 64 on the back.

FIGS. 7a and 7b present a jersey 140 which, on the upper body going down to the middle of the thorax, and on the sleeves, has an upper area 142 a featuring a fabric without silicone contributing the low level of compression, which essentially covers the pectoralis major 30, the deltoid 34, the infraspinatus 70, the trapezius 72, the teres major 86, the teres minor 88, and all the muscles of the arm.

The jersey 140 also has two lower central areas 142 b of fabric without silicone contributing the low level of compression, in the middle of the abdomen and of the back down to the bottom.

Finally, the jersey 140 has a lower area 144 which, in the center of the front and of the back, and at the height of the middle of the thorax, has a thin, essentially horizontal band which is completed on each side by a descending part coming down to the bottom, featuring a fabric with silicone contributing the high level of compression. This lower area 144 essentially covers the abdominal external oblique muscle 26, the rectus abdominus 28 and the serratus anterior 30 on the front, and the latissimus dorsi 68 on the back.

In a practical manner, similar measurements performed on the same persons with and without this type of undergarments showed a gain regarding the level of oscillation of the muscle tissues between 20 and 40%. With these undergarments, one therefore has a clear reduction of the movements of the muscles which reduces the energy consumed, improves comfort and enables one to increase the sports performance.

In a general manner, according to the invention, it is possible to produce on the undergarments a varied number of areas, greater than three, corresponding to different levels of compression of the fabric, as well as area contours adapted particularly to the muscles to be covered. In particular, it is possible to produce undergarments provided for different categories of people, particularly according to their type, their age, their height and their weight, in order to optimize in a specific manner the comfort as well as the sports performances. 

1-11. (canceled)
 12. An undergarment configured for sports practice, the undergarment comprising: a resilient fabric which is fit on a body of a wearer while exerting compression in order to limit oscillations of muscle tissues of the body of the wearer during the practice of the sport, the resilient fabric comprising areas having different levels of resilience, each of the areas contributing levels of compression adapted to the muscle tissues that they cover, the areas including areas of higher compression at muscle tissues having greater oscillations and areas of lower compression at muscle tissues having lesser oscillations.
 13. The undergarment according to claim 12, wherein the areas of higher compression include a deposit of material on the resilient fabric.
 14. The undergarment according to claim 13, wherein the deposit of material comprises a deposit of silicone on the areas of higher compression in a mesh pattern.
 15. The undergarment according to claim 14, wherein the silicone is deposited according to a pattern produced by a silk screen printing process.
 16. The undergarment according to claim 12, wherein the resilient fabric is a jersey stitch knit comprising polyamide and elastane.
 17. The undergarment according to claim 16, wherein a weaving width of the resilient fabric is arranged according to the height of the undergarment.
 18. The undergarment according to claim 12, wherein at least part of the areas of higher compression have, in the direction of the height of the undergarment, an elongation between 40% and 60% for a load of 15 N, and in the direction of the width, an elongation between 55% and 75% for a load of 15 N.
 19. The undergarment according to claim 12, the undergarment being in the form of pants having a lower area of low compression on legs of the wearer, which goes roughly up to the knees of the wearer, and having an upper area of high compression above that going up to a top of the pants.
 20. The undergarment according to claim 19, wherein, between the area of low compression and the area of high compression, at the level of the knees, an area of medium compression of the resilient fabric in the form of a band rises towards an inside of the pants between the legs.
 21. The undergarment according to claim 12, the undergarment being in the form of a jersey having an upper area of low compression in the upper part going down to a middle of the thorax of the wearer, and on the arms of the wearer, and having one or more lower areas of higher compression below the upper part.
 22. The undergarment according to claim 21, wherein a first lower area of the one or more lower areas, in the center of the front and of the back and at the height of the middle of the thorax, has a horizontal band which is completed on each side by a descending part contributing a medium or high level of compression.
 23. The undergarment according to claim 13, wherein the resilient fabric is a jersey stitch knit comprising polyamide and elastane.
 24. The undergarment according to claim 14, wherein the resilient fabric is a jersey stitch knit comprising polyamide and elastane.
 25. The undergarment according to claim 12, wherein the areas of higher compression include a deposit of resin on the resilient fabric.
 26. The undergarment according to claim 14, wherein the deposit of resin comprises a pattern forming a mesh.
 27. The undergarment according to claim 26, wherein the mesh comprises hexagonal shapes.
 28. The undergarment according to claim 26, wherein the deposit of resin comprises silicone.
 29. The undergarment according to claim 28, wherein the silicone comprises a two component silicone having a Shore A hardness between 10 and
 40. 30. The undergarment according to claim 28, wherein the silicone is at least partially impregnated into the resilient fabric.
 31. The undergarment according to claim 28, wherein a thickness of the silicone in the areas of higher compression is at or between 2 millimeters and 3 millimeters. 